Lump-sum bonuses under the CSRB range from $18,000 to $150,000, depending on specialty and length of service extension. (Staff)

Regular Army noncommissioned officers in several priority specialties and career management fields are eligible for a new round of retention incentives under the Critical Skills Retention Bonus program.

The availability of these big-buck bonuses is limited, however, as the application deadline for CSRB is Dec. 31.

The most recent update to CSRB took effect Nov. 22, and is targeted at sergeants first class, master sergeants and sergeants major who are at or near retirement eligibility.

Lump-sum bonuses range from $18,000 to $150,000, depending on specialty and length of service extension. The eligible population includes NCOs with 19 to 23 years of active federal service, and who agree to a service extension of 24 months to 72 months.

The CSRB complements the Tiered Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program, which generally is targeted at more junior soldiers who are not serving indefinite re-enlistments.

Soldiers may be paid a critical skills bonus if they are within 180 days of the qualifying total active federal service start date.

Bonuses generally are tax-free if paid in a combat zone. However, soldiers may not receive more than $200,000 in total bonus payments from the CSRB and Selective Re-enlistment Bonus program during their career.

Also, soldiers may not receive a CSRB and SRB for the same period of time.

Interested soldiers should contact their servicing career counselor. Applications then should be forwarded through the first commander in the soldier’s chain of command who is a lieutenant colonel or higher, and then to Human Resources Command.

Applications for special operations soldiers must be routed through a soldier’s chain of command to the Army Special Operations Command before being sent to HRC.

WHO GETS THE BUCKS

Regular Army noncommissioned officers in these specialties and grades who have the appropriate total active federal service, or TAFS, may qualify for a Critical Skills Retention Bonus: